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ALEC GUINNESS - HIS SIGNING HABITS... ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
As you can see from the above examples, I have been very successful with my 'through-the-mail' attempts at obtaining the signature of the great Sir Alec Guinness.
Many collectors throughout the world (or more especially, outside of the UK) constantly ask me if Sir Alec is still signing. This page is my attempt at answering all those enquiries without, as I have been doing, having to spent hours replying to emails! I hope everyone understands the necessity of this impersonal approach. I have been spending upwards of an hour a week, simply informing people of Sir Alec's autograph signing habits.
This article is compiled from my own first-hand experiences, recollections and information from other collectors, news items and general gossip!! Therefore, please don't hold me responsible for the accuracy of everything shown on this page. This is however, almost certainly the most comprehensive and accurate info you're likely to find regarding this superb actor!!
Apparently, Sir Alec Guinness was very good when replying to written requests for his autograph upto around January 1996.
I know several collectors from outside of the UK that received Alec Guinness autographs a number of years ago. However, it seems certain that Sir Alec has now stopped signing for almost all collectors outside of the UK, and many within. Apparently, in his last autobiography (which I must admit, I haven't seen) he mentions that he doesn't respond to written autograph requests anymore.
As mentioned, I've received replies during later 1997 and early 1998. I originally wrote requesting an a signed photograph - my letter was returned, on which Sir Alec had written "Sorry, don't provide photographs. Too expensive to give away!". I therefore bought three 10x8" photographs and posted them off, referring to his initial refusal. These were returned, signed. A while later (pushing my luck I admit) I purchased and posted another three photographs... Sir Alec did sign them, but wrote across my letter "Please, no more autograph requests!".
My experience suggests he will sign through the mail, as long as you write a nice complimentary (and honest) letter.
However, some examples from other collectors may make you think differently:
CASE STUDY #1 - UK COLLECTOR
A good friend of mine wrote to Sir Alec Guinness around the same time as I was receiving successful responses from him. He sent a poster and a number of Star Wars photographs, along with return postage. He received no reply whatsoever.
CASE STUDY #2 - US COLLECTOR
This gentleman had posted about three autograph requests over the last ten years and each time his photographs were returned signed by Sir Alec. He tried again recently (during the last twelve months) and received no reply.
CASE STUDY #3 - US COLLECTOR
This collector certainly has my deepest sympathy. Three times during the last eighteen months, he has posted off photographs and sufficient return postage to Sir Alec, each time to no avail! I wonder what happens to the photographs that aren't returned?
CASE STUDY #4 - SCANDINAVIAN COLLECTOR
Unusually, this collector has received a response during the last twelve months, although he did state that his letter and items that were posted, made no reference whatsoever to Star Wars.
The re-release of the Star Wars trilogy in the "Special Edition" format obviously encouraged a massive increase in interest concerning all the actors and people involved. Jeremy Bulloch (who played Boba Fett) reported a huge resurgence in autograph requests last year, simply as a result of the re-release. Sir Alec refused to be involved in any publicity concerning the re-release of these films, it seems because he was simply bored with Star Wars. He was quoted in the press as being fed up with Star Wars, hence his lack of enthusiasm for any of the premieres or promotions!
It seems to me that any autograph success over the last year or two has come about through one or more of the following two reasons:
Avoid Star Wars like the plague and your slim chances will be somewhat bolstered!
Finally, I have decided (as of today) to no longer 'promote' Sir Alec Guinness' address. Given his personal plea to me ("Please, no more autograph requests") I feel that it's the moral thing to do. After all, this is a man in his eighties, and the address that I've used is his home address - not through any agency or management company that can 'filter' his mail. Please do not email me for the address - I simply won't provide it anymore.
Of course, this approach won't stop any collectors that REALLY want to have a go... the address is still available on numerous autograph collecting websites. However, I would state that some collectors have also taken this moral stance, and withdrawn Sir Alec's address from their own websites.
I won't be writing to Sir Alec again, and wish him the best of happiness and good health in the twilight years of his life....
If you decide to try writing yourselves, good luck, I've given you all the information I can, but still don't hold your breath!!
David Hopkins
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May 1998
See also... ALEC GUINNESS - MY ENGLISH TEACHER